Silverstar
by Whitehair-Dogears
Summary: Silverstar, a blue-gray wolf, follows her grandfather's path to find paradise. Will she succeed where he failed? Based on the first ending.
1. The Search Begins

Disclaimer: The ending would have been so much better if I owned it. glares at lawyers Happy?

A/N: This story will be good dammit! I least I hope…. My fanfics have all sucked lately. :P Hopefully people will agree that its good. I came up with the idea while picking my nose when I was using the crapper. It's amazing the things a person can think up when their busy "downloading". dies laughing, gets shot by Quent and dragged away

'words'- the wolves speaking

"words"- human speech

_italics_- Silverstar's thoughts

****

_Prologue_

_My name is Silverstar. I am wolf._

A pack of wolves is seen running single file. Five in all, led by a small bluish gray wolf. Her tail is held high, and she is running in a flat out gallop. The red wolf behind her has a canine grin and his tongue is sticking out as he runs. A strange scar runs from his cheek to the tip of his ear, which is torn. Behind him is a large black wolf. Only her glaring golden-brown eyes are seen in the darkness. On her tail is a white wolf, pure white. His shining sea gray eyes show a hidden cleverness. The last one in the pack is an old light brown wolf. A strange silver bracelet jingles as he runs. 

_I am the leader of these wolves, and we are searching for paradise. I found them, and gathered them, giving them a family and hope. Each has their own reason for joining the search for paradise._

The five wolves tirelessly continue to run, even as the ground begins to slant into a steep hill. The white wolf and bluish gray wolf have trouble getting up the steep slope. The brown wolf helps them as they travel up. The determination written on the small bluish wolf's face shows she will never give up. She continues even though she falls behind. 

_We have come far in our journey. We have faced unrivalled terror, fought for our lives, and have felt the betrayal of our brethren._

They reach the top of the hill and look out into a vast sea of beautiful white flowers, seemingly dipped in moonlight. They stand as one as a feeling of peace flows through them. The soft thundering of hoofs reaches their ears and they know. They know they belong here. 

_We are some of the last free wolves left in this world, and we will find paradise. This is our story._

****

_Chapter 1: The Search Begins_

Silverstar woke up to the same howling she heard every night. She shook herself awake and ran to where she knew she would find him. A large very old white wolf, on the verge of death, who still howled to the full moon. He stood as though carved out of stone. He was calling the pack to him.

'Grandpa Kiba,' Silverstar whispered as she ran to him. He paused his call to acknowledge her presence.

'Little Silverstar,' he said, bowing his head and smiling. She was the pride of the pack. He went back to his calling and delighted in the fact that Silverstar joined him. As soon as all the other members of the pack answered to their calling, Kiba pulled Silverstar aside.

'My dear little one, you always listen to my stories. You believe in paradise. Are you willing to go seek it?' he asked seriously. The rest of the pack was too busy playing and howling to care what the Alpha male and Omega female were speaking of, but if they had been paying attention they would have scoffed at his words. They had long ago abandoned paradise.

'Yes, grandfather, but who will believe me?' Silverstar asked as she was led further and further away from the pack.

Kiba looked at her reassuringly, 'I know a wolf or two who will be more then willing to help. You have been feeling it, haven't you?'

Silverstar cocked her head in confusion.

'The moon calling you forth. You can smell lunar flowers. You are missing something. You must go and find it.'

'I am to seek paradise? Alone?'

'No. I know at least one wolf that will help you. He used to travel with me. He lives in the city to the east. He will be in human form. You choose which form you want to be in. He goes by the name Toboe. Tell him who you are and please be careful. The road to paradise is paved in blood.'

'I understand. Goodbye Grandpa,' Silverstar said as she nuzzled the old wolf. He bathed her face in wolfish kisses and pushed her in the direction she was to face. She ran off without another word, without turning back. Kiba watched her, wishing he still had the strength to search for paradise. The Flower Maiden was just created, the journey, Silverstar's journey had just begun.

_As I ran to the city to find Toboe, an old memory tugged at the back of my brain. Grandpa and I had been searching for an old carcass that still had some meat on it. Instead we had found a lunar flower. The last one left in the wild. He showed it to me and let me breath in its scent. It smelled like heaven. He then told me how he once saw a whole field of the beautiful flowers. The white petals creating a whirlwind as the wind swept them from the ground and into the air. How I wish I could've seen that._

Silverstar arrived at the city, blinded by the bright lights. The high walls that surrounded the buildings were easily jumped over, but the alleys between the buildings would be narrow and hard to navigate. Hundreds of humans swarmed everywhere. How was she suppose to find a strange wolf in this mess?

She lunged into the city and immediately tried to find the comforting scent of wolf. She flew down alleys, avoiding the main streets, dodging any creature in her way. She passed many humans and nearly fought with a stray dog. She could not find anything. Finally, she decided to try the main streets to avoid the cramped reeking lanes.

_I had never really been in a city before, but I never thought it would be this bad. Everywhere I turned humans were stealing and killing, as though their lives had no purpose. We wolves kill and steal but only when there is the need. The humans seemed to enjoy it._

'Hey, you're like me,' a small voice said. Silverstar turned to see a small white wolf cub standing behind her. He was about her size, maybe a little smaller, and looked to be very timid, but his eyes said something different. They showed a clever mischievousness.

'No I'm not,' Silverstar said flatly as she turned away. The little wolf followed her. She turned down an alley, trying to get away, only to find herself cornered. She turned and growled at the little wolf.

'Aren't you nice?' he said as he blocked the exit, 'I've never seen another wolf in this city.'

'You're no use to me then.'

'But you as a female are to me.'

Silverstar growled threateningly as she realized why he cornered her. He was not going to have her without a fight.

"Hey runt," a gruff growl snarled, "Leave the lady alone."

Silverstar looked passed the white wolf to see a light brown wolf. He looked old, but his eyes said he wasn't. A strange bracelet hung loosely over his right wrist. He stood behind the white wolf and even overshadowed him.

'Who are you calling a runt?' the white wolf growled. Silverstar looked at the little wolf like he was crazy. It was obvious he was far outmatched.

The light brown wolf laughed, 'My name is Toboe. What's yours?'

'Yukio.'

'Well, Yukio. You're still a pup, and the lady is obviously older then you. Plus, she looks like she's about to rip you to shreds.'

Silverstar growled another warning, even as she realized she found who she was looking for.

'Toboe,' Silverstar shouted to him, 'I have a message from Kiba, the white wolf.'

Toboe looked at her with mild surprise and extreme interest.

'Another white wolf? Where?' Yukio asked. He seemed genuinely interested, but Silverstar could tell he was not to be trusted with just his word.

Toboe pushed pass him and walked up to Silverstar. He towered over her. 'You know Kiba?'

'He is my grandfather.'

Toboe laughed and then looked at her slyly, 'The old bag of fur had offspring?'

'Yes.'

'Who is this Kiba?' Yukio asked. Silverstar and Toboe ignored him.

'You are Kiba's granddaughter? The old fang sends me a message with you? Is this about paradise?'

'I am going to find it. I need your help.'

Toboe shook his head and laughed. 'Yes. You are his offspring. You are just as crazy.'

'My grandfather is not crazy! Don't you remember the lunar flowers?'

Toboe looked down at her with a hurt look. He glared at her for a moment and then turned his back.

'You're new to this city, aren't you little wolf? You'll need a place to stay tonight before you leave here. You can stay at my place, but I want you gone in the morning.'

Silverstar glared at him, 'You forgot. You forgot what it was like to run free under the full moon. You forgot the scent of lunar flowers and the pull of freedom. You are no better then a whipped dog.'

Toboe turned on her, 'You know nothing about what I have been through. You think I didn't wish to see paradise? The field of lunar flowers that called in my blood and made me stronger. I had seen the path stretch out ahead of me, I had seen the road to paradise, and just as we were going to make it, the lunar flower, the flower maiden… she… she died. The Flower Maiden can only bloom under the full moon three times. We didn't know. We ran, and ran, for miles, but we never seemed to get any further. It was because we were running in circles. We had to continuously save her from other wolves and the humans who created her. She died on Kiba's back. For the last fours days of her life, Kiba continued to drag her forward, hoping that when we reached paradise she could rejuvenate. He loved her. We never made it. Paradise seemed further and further away as we went forward. It was not worth it.'

_The flower maiden… grandpa had only mentioned her once. Cheza. I never asked about her again. The look on his face as he spoke of her, I had never seen such pain. I could tell he loved her. When he said her name, his heart was in the word. That said more then enough._

Silverstar remained silent, but followed after Toboe as he left. Yukio moved out of their way and watched them go. He glared after them and then followed them.

'If you wish to travel through this city,' Toboe started as they went through the crowd on four legs, 'you must learn that human skin is the only way to truly get through here alive. The entrances to the city are easy enough to get through at night, but in the morning you will need to look human. If not, you'll be shot on sight. Not even livestock is allowed by the gates, unless it's being ridden or has someone driving it. Come into this alleyway with me.'

Silverstar followed Toboe and then found herself face to face with a middle-aged man. Light brown childish eyes stared into her golden brown orbs. Light brown hair fell around his eyes and made him look younger. A tight red collar shirt hugged his muscular torso. A pair of tan khakis hugged his well-developed legs. His face hardened as he realized Silverstar was staring… and drooling.

"Is there something interesting I must know about?"

Silverstar coughed and smiled, 'Um… no. Sorry. I just thought of… um… something…'

Toboe raised an eyebrow in interest, but was distracted by the noise of a cat jumping from a garbage can to ground. When he looked back at Silverstar, he saw a young teenage girl in front of him. Her straight shoulder-length hair was silver, with dark blue highlights. Her eyes shown amber in the darkness. Her body was lean, and was hardly seen within the folds of her blue hooded sweatshirt. The torn jeans she wore were incredibly baggy and had large pockets.

"Not bad," Toboe said as he pushed pass her, "You look like you belong here."

"I don't belong anywhere," she whispered to herself.

_It's true. I don't belong anywhere, that's why I look for paradise. I know that there, no one needs to belong. Everyone just is._

"Silverstar, be careful. Yukio is not the only one prowling for a female tonight," Toboe stated as they walked through the dark street. Silverstar looked down another alleyway and saw two dogs fighting viciously. Their masters were throwing money on the ground betting which dog would win as the fight intensified.

"How can humans be so cruel?" Silverstar asked as they continued their walk.

Toboe looked down at the younger wolf, "Do you speak of the rape of females, or the cruelty brought upon other animals?"

"Both. Aren't they both horrible?" Silverstar asked with the innocence of a child.

Toboe smiled down at her, "After a while of living in the city, people tune it out, like a bad song. Some even stop noticing. I cry to the moon every night asking her why humanity is stricken with such a disease. She still hasn't answered me."

_When I heard him say that, I realized Toboe was in pain, not because of the loss of the flower maiden, but because he was stuck with humanity. He wanted more then ever to find paradise, but his heart could not take it if he didn't get there again._

"We're being followed," Silverstar whispered. Toboe didn't need to look back to know Yukio was still following them.

"I know. I don't worry myself with such trivial matters. He is just a pup, like you. I would be more worried if there were humans following us."

Silverstar looked at him puzzled, "Why? Humans are not as strong as us."

"True, but they hate and fear us. That alone makes them fearful enemies. Especially if they knew you were searching for paradise," Toboe said knowingly. He stopped in front of a house and walked into the back door. Silverstar realized it was in fact a small shack connected to a larger house. The comforting smell of wolf invaded every corner. Toboe shook himself, as though getting comfortable with his fur again. Silverstar also went back into her wolfish self.

'We are safe from prying eyes and listening ears in here. You should not speak of paradise so openly. There are many who would kill anyone for speaking of it. Paradise is not for humans, but for the wolves who created man. Wolves were not meant for this world. Too much suffering and pain. Especially, when surrounded by humans.'

'Toboe, why are you here in this city if humanity pains you so?' Silverstar asked they laid down to rest. Toboe said nothing, but placed a paw over his muzzle, as though to say, I don't know. Silverstar curled up into a ball and placed her tail over her nose. She sighed heavily.

_Even as I went to sleep all I could think about was Toboe. How he tortured himself by staying in the city. Why would any wolf do that? As I slept, my dreams lead me into a laboratory. I saw her, the flower maiden. She was waiting for me. She looked down at me with pure kindness. I breathed in her scent and fell in love. My heart melted and I praised humanity for creating a wonderful and beautiful creature. I never knew beauty until my gaze fell upon her._

Silverstar woke abruptly. Toboe stood in front of her, gnawing at the carcass of some bird. He looked at her through the corner of his eye.

'You hungry little one?' he asked, moving over and nudging it towards her. She got up groggily and took what few pieces of meat were left.

'I know where she is,' Silverstar said as she gulped down the last bite. Toboe threw the bones into a corner.

'Who?'

'The flower maiden.'

Toboe paused before he walked to the door. He glared at the wood and then looked at Silverstar.

'You know where she is?'

'She's not that far from here. We could find her today.'

'The next full moon is a month from now. How will we know where to go?' Toboe asked.

Silverstar realized the hidden meaning in his words. She smiled slyly, 'You know the direction, if not the road.'

Toboe nodded and then left. Silverstar followed, and shed her fur. Toboe also had his human guise on as they walked away from the shed. They walked towards the main gate of the city. As they were about to pass it, a young boy, about the age of ten ran into Silverstar. Dark hair covered his head and his blue eyes showed a hidden cleverness. His white wife beater showed off his muscular torso. His blue jeans were torn and hid his black boots from view. He scratched the back of his head.

"I couldn't help but overhear you two last night. Can I come along?" He asked.

Silverstar was able to recognize his scent before he spoke. It was Yukio.

"Come along for what?" Silverstar growled.

"Hey, truce. Truce! I'm just curious. I wanna see paradise," Yukio replied, whispering the last part.

Silverstar was ready to say no and maybe rip out his throat, but Toboe interrupted her by asking a simple question.

"Why?"

"I don't belong in a city, but I lost my pack. I have no where else to go, and you're the only wolves I've seen since my pack was slaughtered. I have no one else."

Silverstar was ready to just walk away. He smelled funny and the stuff he was saying didn't seem trustworthy.

Toboe looked at him with a raised eyebrow. His story sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had heard it before.

"Ok kiddo," Silverstar mumbled, "You can follow us until you find someone else to bother, all right?"

Yukio smiled and nearly jumped into the air. Toboe firmly planted him to the ground with a hand on the shoulder. He looked at the overly excited cub with something that resembled patience, and looked at Silverstar curiously. It was obvious she did not like him or even buy his story. Why was she letting him come along?

_As much as the cub annoyed me, I understood what he was talking about. He didn't belong anywhere either. Maybe he could help, since only wolves who don't have a pack and who don't belong seek paradise._

They joined in with the parade of humans trying to leave town. Considering the long line to get out of the city, Silverstar was surprised that there were even people in the city. She noticed that each person was searched and then sniffed at by dogs. She could understand if the people in the line were entering the city and they were being searched, but leaving?

"Toboe, why are there dogs?" Silverstar asked as the line slowly moved forward.

"I guess they're looking for someone, or something."

Silverstar, behind Toboe in the line, nodded as he looked back. She noticed that he was looking beyond her, at Yukio. She turned to look at him and realized that he was nervous. He kept looking from the ground to the guards and dogs to the ground again.

"What's wrong?" Silverstar asked, as Toboe went through the gate. The dogs cowered away from him.

"Stop being so scared!" the guard yelled at the dogs he usually had to hold back. The dogs cowered at his feet and refused to move.

"I think you need new dogs," Toboe said arrogantly as he walked passed. The guard glared at him, but let him pass through.

Silverstar walked through next, before finding out what was making Yukio so nervous. The dogs didn't cower as much as when Toboe passed, but they stayed by their master's feet with their tails tucked firmly between their legs. Silverstar passed without a word and met Toboe on the other side. Just when they were about to wait for Yukio, he burst out of the gate at top speed. He dashed pass them with three of the dogs on his tail. Toboe and Silverstar immediately took chase.

They heard guards shouting behind them and the pop of 9mm handguns as the guards began to shoot at them. Silverstar and Toboe easily outran the bullets and caught up to Yukio with his finely fanged friends.

'What the hell did you do?' Toboe growled turning wolf as soon as they were out of sight of the guards. Yukio and Silverstar followed his lead.

Yukio ran forward blindly. He barely had the ability to breathe, let alone talk.

Silverstar, being the lightest and fastest, ran pass the dogs and Yukio. She slid to a stop and lunged at the nearest dog. They flew back and fought each other furiously. She bit at his throat and tried to pin him down more then once. The dog kept out of her biting range and tried to use his larger girth to intimidate her. It obviously didn't work. She was finally able to clamp her teeth down on his throat after she side-stepped a lunge. She twisted her jaws and snapped his neck. The wet crack met her ears. Her blood stained muzzled made her look furious as she looked for the others. Toboe was busy bringing down another of the dogs and Yukio was busy trying to dodge an enraged dog's claws and fangs. She decided to help Yukio, since the young cub looked like he didn't know what he was doing. Silverstar ran, resembling a gray streak as she rushed towards the dog. She leapt up and landed on its' back. She bit into its' neck and twisted down towards the ground. The sickening snap was like a thunder clap in her ear.

Yukio cowered into the short grass that surrounded them. Blood flowed freely from Silverstar's muzzle as she chewed furiously on the carcass. After a short meal, she glared at Yukio and looked for Toboe. Toboe had also made a short meal out of the dog he killed.

'You're a ferocious fighter Silverstar,' Toboe complimented as he looked at the blood masked face. She nodded, and then looked down at Yukio.

'What did you do!' she growled. Yukio sunk as low to the ground as he could. His tail was firmly between his legs and his throat was unprotected. He was groveling.

'Please, I didn't know it was me they were looking for,' he whimpered, trying to look as pitiful as possible.

'Why were they looking for you?' Toboe asked.

Yukio looked away, and then wished he hadn't. Silverstar lunged forward and grabbed his throat within her powerful jaws.

'It's because they implanted something in me!' he yelped.

Silverstar let him go, 'Implanted?'

'Yeah. I was in this lab with some girl. They took some of my blood and injected it into her. I think the scientist called her the Flower maiden or something. After they took my blood they implanted some little black thing into my leg. I don't know any more then that.'

'The Flower maiden?' Silverstar asked excited. Yukio nodded furiously as Toboe sniffed at his legs. He found an old wound on the pup's leg.

'We should try to find out what they put in your leg,' Toboe stated as he sat back on his haunches.

'First we should get away from here,' Silverstar interrupted, 'We don't need those guards after us. Come on.'

Silverstar ran in front of Yukio while Toboe took the back. After hours of running, they found a quiet forest in which to rest. They went in quietly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful silence that surrounded them.

The only noise made within the forest was the quiet buzzing of insects as they mated, fought, and died. Yukio looked around in wonder while Toboe and Silverstar went about with caution. A quiet forest usually meant the beasts were sleeping. They would not want to awaken the guardian of the forest.

_It had been a long time since I had been in an unknown forest. I had never really strayed outside of my old pack's territory. When I did, usually Grandpa Kiba was with me, but now I had two strange wolves with me. I knew the road to paradise was going to be hard, but I never thought I would be in a situation like this. It was perhaps the most awkward one I had ever been in._

The three wolves traveled silently, their paws' steps were whispers in the lower brush. Thorn bushes lunged in the way, while weeping willows hung, suspended in the sky. They traveled low to the ground, the trees and foliage making it near impossible to stand straight. After awhile Silverstar's ears heard the sound of rushing water. She followed it and lead Toboe and Yukio to the side of a river. The river was neither fast nor deep. But it was indeed wide.

'We should rest here,' Toboe stated, not for himself but for the tired cub that struggled behind him.

Silverstar trusted her instincts, and they said this was a bad place to stop. 'We should keep going Toboe.'

'Look at him,' Toboe said, indicating Yukio, 'Do you think he would last another ten minutes?'

Yukio just fell to the ground and stopped. He did not look like he was going to move any time soon.

'I am warning you now Toboe. This is not a good place. I will stay though, if only to prove a point.'

Toboe looked at her in surprise. It was true that Toboe was no leader, but as the oldest of the trio, he should at least have some authoriity. It seemed as though his words meant nothing to Silverstar. Little did he realize the reason why she had responded that way was simply because every single one of her senses told her that this was not the place to be.

'I think I can… Keep… Go… Go… Ing…' Yukio promptly passed out. Toboe smiled to himself. Yukio was reminding him of himself when he was younger.

'I'm going to see if I can go and catch something to eat,' Silverstar growled. She was not trying to be the leader. She was trying to protect those around her.

'Don't go too far,' Toboe warned. This forest was unknown even to Toboe.

'I'm not the one that has to be careful,' she replied as she walked away. Toboe watched her with something that resembled interest. Was she able to tell the future?

_I ran as fast as I could to get away from that river. Something about it made me want to leave and run as far as I could. As I ran I tried to catch the scent of any and all prey, but the only scents I found were that of insects and forest. What type of forest had no animals? I ran back to the river without any luck to even finding a scent of another four-legged creature. Such a strange forest…_

Silverstar arrived back at the river. Toboe was gone. Yukio was still passed out. She nudged him hard and woke him up.

'Where's Toboe?' she asked, ready to chase him down. There was no way he had gone off on a hunt, she would've smelled him. He just seemed to disappear.

Yukio looked at Silverstar through groggy eyes. 'What do you mean where's Toboe? He was drinking from the river two minutes ago. He woke me up like you just did so I could tell him when you came back.'

'Let me guess. You went back to sleep? When an older wolf tells you to do something, you should do it. You said he went to drink from the river?'

'Yeah, he should still be there.'

'Fine,' Silverstar replied as she walked to the riverbank. She looked down and up the bank, but did not see hide nor fur of Toboe. She sniffed the air cautiously. No scent. Wait… There was a slight scent on the ground. But it disappeared into the river. Did he cross the river? No, he wouldn't have left Yukio alone. He was too tired to fight for himself and Toboe did not look like the type to abandon others. A loud howl brought Silverstar from her thoughts to the situation. Yukio needed her.

Silverstar jumped up and immediately ran to where Yukio was. Three guards from East City were trying to net him. He dodged between their legs and ran. Silverstar leaped onto the nearest guard and ripped out his throat before he even saw her. She attacked the next guard before he could notice. The last guard took his gun off his shoulder and aimed it at her. Before he could squeeze off a round, Silverstar tackled him. His rifle flew away from him and as he smashed backward into the ground, Silverstar switched to her human guise.

"What do you want with us!" She yelled into the guard's face. He stared at her with surprise and fear. She growled menacingly and he cringed away.

"I was just following orders."

"Who's!" She screamed.

"General Miran!" the guard yelled in pure fear.

Silverstar ripped out his throat quickly and tore apart the net that held Yukio down. He stared at her in fear.

'Why? Why did you kill him? He told you what you wanted to know.'

'He was in my way. People who are in my way should not live, especially those who threaten those who I am in charge of.'

'Who says you're in charge of me?' Yukio growled as Silverstar walked pass him. Silverstar looked at him for a second and then began to look for the humans' trail.

'I told you to come with us. When I did I meant simply that you were my charge until you left us or until you can fight me and win. I will protect you until then. Now, come on. I think these humans will lead us to where Toboe is.'

'How do you know?' Yukio asked. Silverstar looked up. Though it was still day, the moon was still visible. She looked directly at it and howled one single short note. Yukio understood, though he didn't know how. The moon seemed to be pulling him forward.

Silverstar broke out into a run with Yukio following her closely behind. She followed the humans' trail until she came to a clearing in the forest. A large black van was parked in it. Silverstar tried to listen for sounds of Toboe, but she heard nothing that resemebled the wolf's deep growl.

'There are three more humans guarding the van and I think two more in the van itself. I'm scared,' Yukio mumbled.

Silverstar looked at the pup and rolled her eyes. She thought carefully of how to approach the humans without being shot.

'Are you willing to be a distraction?' Silverstar asked. Yukio looked at her as though she was crazy.

'What do you mean?' he wailed silently.

'I'll kill them before they can even take their guns from their shoulders. They won't touch you,' Silverstar promised as she stared at the humans. She had to make sure they did not hear her and the cub.

'Give me five minutes,' he begged.

'We might not have five minutes, GO!' she yelled snapping her jaws at his hindquarters. Yukio jumped up and ran. He ran as fast as he could across the clearing. He heard yelling, then screams, but he didn't stop. He didn't stop running until he got to the other side of the clearing. He turned around and watched as Silverstar killed two of the guards. The third pulled off his gun, whistled for the others, and squeezed off one shot as Silverstar leapt at him. He hit her in the shoulder, but she continued to sail through the air until she pulled him down and tore off his throat with one of her claws. The other two guards got out of the van. Silverstar immediately killed the one closest to her. The other guard came around the front of the van with his gun drawn and was about to kill her when Yukio suddenly shot out from the underbrush. He looked away from Silverstar and looked at the new threat, but was killed before he could do anything. He fell to the ground, lifeless. Yukio looked at Silverstar. She looked like a demon. Her face and half of her body was covered with blood. Whether it was hers or the guards' it was hard to tell. All Yukio knew was that he never wanted to piss her off.

"Come on," Silverstar growled as she stripped of her fur, "We need to get Toboe."

Yukio nodded and shed his fur as well. It was the only way they could get tall enough to open the door. They opened it and saw Toboe biting the bars to the cage he was in. That was why they didn't hear him.

"We're here for you," Silverstar said as she got into the van. Yukio stayed outside, there wasn't enough room.

'I could've gotten out myself,' Toboe pouted. Silverstar laughed lightly. It wasn't that funny, but Yukio guessed that she was laughing to relieve the anger she felt inside. She had killed to protect those around her, and because they were in her way. Those still didn't sound like good reasons to Yukio, but he was so glad to have not been killed that he didn't care.

"What happened?" Silverstar asked as she opened the cage. Toboe shook himself as though being freed of a collar.

'They snuck up on me while I was busy drinking. They tranquilized and netted me. I just woke up as soon as I heard the screams. I thought it was because one of the humans accidently shot himself,' Toboe joked as they both jumped out of the van in their original skins.

Silverstar and Yukio laughed. Toboe motioned for them to leave and they left without another word. The three wolves went back to the river and then crossed it.

'Silverstar,' Toboe stopped the younger wolf after they crossed, 'I'm sorry.'

Silverstar gave him a questioning look.

'I should have listened to you, obviously you knew what you were speaking of. I believe you have something of a foresight, don't you?'

'No, but I follow my instincts. My instincts told me that place was wrong. I warned you, you didn't listen. I'm use to that. I was the omega female in my grandfather's pack.'

Toboe cocked his head in confusion. 'You were the omega female? Why?'

'My grandfather knew I still believed in paradise. He made me the omega wolf simply so I would be more then willling to go on the search for paradise. If I was higher on the leadership scale I probably would not have been willing to go,' Silverstar explained. Toboe nodded as they found a small unused den under a tree. Yukio was the first to find it and he showed them were it was. Toboe entered the den first and went to sleep. Silverstar stopped Yukio.

'I didn't get to say thank you.'

'What?' Yukio asked.

'You saved my life earlier. I forgot to thank you.'

'Oh, well, you're welcome.'

'Don't ever mention it,' Silverstar growled at him. Yukio slunk into the den and went to sleep. Silverstar stayed outside and went to sleep.

_I never liked sleeping in dens. I stayed outside. Always. I felt better living under the stars. I went to sleep that night knowing that my journey just started, but that we would find paradise. At all costs._

A/N: Silverstar and her companions have started their journey. Do ya wanna know what happens next? Then review you american pigs! You money grubbing sons of an uncle!

(Moo-chan, the authoress, walks in)

Moo-chan- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BARBADOS! I TOLD YOU NOT TO TALK TO THE READERS! proceeds to beat the crap out of him

-.->pops up out of no where Cwazies chickies. Justies reviewyness!


	2. To Be Human

Disclaimer: If I have to do this everytime, I'm going to kill you all! **random lawyer walks in and glares** Um… I don't own it!

A/N: Here's chappie 2! By the way, the "anonymous" person that reviewed, IT IS NOT A F#KING HORSE'S NAME! She's a wolf! BY THE GODS ARE YOU BLIND! Anywho, I hope you people like this chappie. **runs away screaming** Give me a dollar!

Chapter 2: To be human 

Silverstar woke up in the middle of the night. The Last Gibbous moon glared down at her. She sniffed the air caustiously. Still, the forest was silent. Why were there no animals?

_I had been in forests before. Only one or two, but I knew there was something wrong with this one. There where nothing but insects in this forest and they were quiet. Granpa, Kiba, told me once that a healthy forest always had predators. This forest had signs of health, but no predators. Was it healthy, or just an illusion?_

'You are awake,' Toboe stated behind her. Silverstar turned around and realized he had just woke up himself.

'I've been for a little. We should get going. We have wasted too much time because of those humans,' Silverstar turned again and howled a single low note. It was grief stricken, and filled with a coldness only found in death.

'I don't think the pup will be able to continue on the journey. He's still resting, and it doesn't look like he'll be up any time soon,' Toboe said as he looked up as the moon as well.

_We had a little less then a month to find her. We needed to find her. She could only bloom three times under the full moon. We had three months to find paradise. _

'It's not long from here. We'll find her soon. After that, Yukio will never need to rest. It's only on new moon nights that we would have to worry. Even then, having her around will be better then no source of reguvenation,' Silverstar said as she once again sniffed the air. They needed food. Yukio was still a pup.

'Have you noticed the only other life forms in this forest that actually live in the forest are insects. Why, why aren't there any other creatures in this forests?'

'A mystery, a mystery. Three wolves stuck in mire. Left in a forest to die. Let them feel the Brother's ire, as the Father begins to cry.'

Both wolves looked around for the source of the sound. Nothing could be seen.

'Trying to find what's in your face, no need to look all over the place.'

'Where are you?' Silverstar growled. Toboe also looked around, but he was beginning to become nervous. This was starting to remind him of the wood where they met that strange owl.

An aye-aye, a strange cousin of the lemur, lowered itself down towards the ground. Silverstar stared at it in surprise. She had never seen such a creature. It was so strange, with its rodent like head, and monkey body. Its hands sported long witch like fingers, the middle phalange was hideously long. Big wide amber eyes stared at the two wolves without actually seeing them. It was blind.

'There I was, right under your nose. Maybe I can help solve all your woes.'

'You are the first creature we have seen besides the humans. Why are there no other animals?' Silverstar asked, taking a step towards the strange creature.

'Maybe you know the way, to get out today, but you might not survive the creature that attacks inside,' It said, suddenly crawling away. Silverstar nearly ran after it, but then Toboe started to suddenly cough. Silverstar turned towards him.

'What's wrong?' she demanded. The message the aye-aye had given her scared her. The creature that attacks inside?

_Of course I had heard about it. Every wolf knew. But most wolves were healthy and refused to believe it, but I knew. I had seen it. A disease that first started as a cough, turned into a type of decaying malady. Fur would begin to fall off irregularly, followed by skin peeling off slowly. It was the wolven equivolent of the human disease leprosy. Most of our pack died from it, only four wolves survived in a pack of fifteen. I, myself, had gotten the disease, but my grandfather, Kiba the white wolf and alpha male, found an antidote. I knew what it was, but I didn't know if it would be possible to find it. _

'I'm all right,' Toboe growled. He looked paler then usual, but she knew he wouldn't say that he wasn't feeling well. He was a wolf, and any weakness given would hurt his pride.

'Is it morning?' Yukio asked as he slowly walked out of the den.

'Close enough to it. We need to find food soon,' Silverstar growled as she suddenly stiffened. She walked back towards the river.

Yukio looked at her as though she had gone mad. Toboe watched her soberly. The pup knew nothing of what she was doing, but Toboe knew. He had done it many times before in times of dire straights.

Her ears stiffened, and she looked straight towards the ground with pure concentration. She started to look frazzled after several minutes of searching. She growled in annoyance and stopped her strange dance-like movements.

"What are you doing?" Yukio asked as he got prepared to leave. Toboe just laughed and turned towards the south.

"I say we leave this forest and then search for those peanut buttery mice later. This forest is creeping me out," Toboe said as he started to walk away. Silverstar followed with Yukio at her side.

"Toboe," Silverstar whispered as she walked up from behind him, "That aye-aye bothered me. It spoke in riddles, and it acted very suspicious. I don't like this forest anymore then you do, but I wish to know why it is the only animal that seems to live in this forest."

"They do eat insects you know. It's not that far fetched. This forest is crawling with the little six legged freaks," Toboe laughed half-heartly. He had hoped if he had shown the younger wolf some humor, she might stop her worrying of the the cryptic creature.

Her face soured even more at his words. It just bothered her that it seemed to be the only beast in this mighty forest. Though a predator by nature, the aye-aye could only eat insects. There was no possible way that it could be the master of this forest. No possible way.

_I knew this journey was to be wrought with terror and danger, but I never did like surprises. I never liked not being able to understand a creature's words. Aye-ayes were known for being misleading and mischievious, but it only ran in youngsters, as in all species. The one we had encountered just a few minutes ago had seemed older then any I had even heard of. Such strange creatures they were, but that did not explain the creature's last words. Its words of warning. "You might not survive the creature that attacks inside." _

"Hey, we might have just survived this wretched forest!" Yukio shouted behind his two elders. They both looked ahead and saw the brightening in the trees up ahead. It could be a large clearing, but the wolves, exhausted by this foreboding forest, did not care. All they cared for was the thought of escaping from this horrible place.

Silverstar was the first one to start running, but Yukio and finally Toboe took up the run behind their bluish gray companion. Silverstar rushed out into the open moonlight, welcoming it as she would welcome a long lost companion. As she blinked away her sudden blindness her fears of the forest worsened. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

Yukio jumped up next to Silverstar, his tail wagging as though he were some young dog finding that it could have all the marrow in the bone before him. His tail dropped quickly as he noticed what it was that made the she-wolf pause in horror. Toboe walked up behind the two, half expecting some unspeakable horror, but was still stunned into silence by what laid before them.

A full square acre of land, the largest clearing in the forest, was covered in the dark crimson of their kins' blood. The bodies were so twisted in pain and agony that the three wolves who had barged into the clearing could not believe that they had once been living creatures. It was as though some sick twisted diety had created a landscape from things that resembled the proud speices.

Silverstar sniffed the clearing, but became even more alert when the clearing shed no scent. Ten score and more of their brethern laid rotting upon open uninhibited land and yet, no scent could be found. Not of the blood, not even the comforting smell of wolf could be found. There was a dark force at work here.

'Woe those wolves who did not follow the aye-aye's warning…' Silverstar trailed off as she realized what she was looking at. The riddle suddenly made sense. Wolves, sick of the forest with no prey, would find this clearing and bask in the sun. The sun worsened the disease and made them go mad. They ripped each other a part and the sky washed away the scents. The blood looked fresh, and so did the carcasses, but they were not. They had been petrified into a suspended state, created by the forest. The live wolves saw those who had come to this place in the past.

'Should we walk through there?' Yukio asked, obviously afraid to be closer to the clearing, let alone through it.

'No,' Silverstar growled, preparing to turn, 'This place is cur-'

'Leara!' Toboe suddenly shouted. Both younger wolves stared at him. The brown wolf jumped into the air and started at a dead run, right through the middle of the cursed field.

Silverstar nearly abandoned Toboe. She didn't want to go head long into the cursed field, following an obviously sick wolf into open danger. Silverstar went against her instincts though. She ran after Toboe, with Yukio in her wake, and suddenly found herself alone in the field. In front of her stood two people. One was Kiba, the old wolf was bent and twisted with age. The other was someone Silverstar had only seen in her dreams. Her heart cried for her. Kinpa, the Flower Maiden.

'It was always said a white beast and the Flower Maiden would open the door to paradise. Some legends aren't true. But it is true that a great beast and the Flower Maiden will open the door. I knew even before you had crawled out of your mother's womb that it would be you. You are strong Silverstar. I am no more then an old wolf. A wolf who has seen many moons and danced in their glory, but I have seen horrors. I lost my one true love. I saw my pack abandon the road to paradise, because I forced myself to keep going. I had no path. No goal. I woke up one day and found even young Toboe had slipped away from me. Blue, Hige, Tsume. They all left because I drove them too hard to find something we could not feel anymore. I feared I would die before I ever got to paradise, but then I realized that I was not meant for paradise. Not yet. I had one more task. I created the pack and waited for you. I knew who would find the way. I knew I would be able to see you again in paradise, although I could not take the journey with you. Stay strong. Let the moon guide you. Let _her_ heal you. I hope you will find her soon,' and with his last words, the great white wolf Kiba, faded into the wind. Silverstar knew then that Kiba was no more. Her strong powerful grandfather had died.

"This one feels sorrow for your lost. Forgive Cheza. She died before she could see paradise in this existence. They are together now though. Let them be happy," Kinpa stated as she began to fade away. The innocence that had rung from her light and gentle voice made Silverstar rush to her, so she could comfort her. Kinpa vanished completely before Silverstar could reach her though. In all of her anger and fury, at this terrible world that would do this to her grandfather and his love, she howled several long notes, each wrought with pain and suffering. The darkness that clouded over Silverstar released her, and she found herself staring into a seemingly endless cave tunnel. Silverstar knew without the shadow of a single doubt, the cure for the disease that had stolen Toboe's mind was at the end. She broke into a run.

_I remember a long time ago, before I even opened my eyes to this world, my father had left. He had challenged a stronger wolf, a wolf that had threatened to end my and my siblings' lives. My father died before I could even see him. My grandfather became the beast that I looked up to. He killed the challengee and protected his daughter's brood. Although he had hoped she would search for paradise, she would not. My mother did not have the same connection to the moon that me and my grandfather had. We would go weeks without food, just enjoying each other's company in the moonlight. I knew that I would eventually search for paradise. I felt it calling me. _

Yukio stopped as the darkness enveloped him. He shuddered like a leaf in the wind, fear gripping him. He sighed heavily. What had he gotten himself into?

He whimpered only slightly as he continued to push himself forward. _I will not show my cowardice again_, he thought to himself. Silverstar and Toboe were so brave and ferious. There was no way Yukio could hope to ever be like that. He stopped in mid-stride and sighed. Why was life so complicated?

'Yukio…'

Yukio visibly stiffened. He knew that voice anywhere. He turned around slowly, half afraid, and half curious. He found himself looking into his mother's eyes.

'Mother!' Yukio shouted trying to run to her. It was then he realized something was wrong. Blood started pouring from a chest wound. She lurched forward, not able to stand anymore. Yukio reached her body and stared in fascinated horror. It was the same wound. The same wound she had received that unfateful night. Suddenly, flames sprouted from seemingly no where as they consumed a forest in the dim backround. It was the same. The same exact thing that had happened that night. Yukio saw them coming for him. The same four humans that captured him when he was a babe, but he was no longer a meager whimpering pup. Yukio felt rage, blind fury, ripping through his body, calling forth powers that he did not know he had. He was fading into the wolven berserker form. The Bloodfire.

He roared a challenging cry. He would not, could not let it happen again. He raced towards the humans, eyes flaring red in the cresent moon's light. He felt his teeth meet pitiful human flesh as he tore into the first human's throat, felt himself take the life of another living being. He did not care.

One of the humans shot him. He was hit, in the shoulder. He did not even realize the pain he felt was real, did not realize that he was living through a memory that did not happen.

He tore the second human's groin out, hearing the man scream in pure agony as he was left to bleed to death. His death was as swift as the blood pouring like a river from him.

Yukio felt his legs pump, the tendons feeling as though they were about to snap as his muscles felt as though they were on fire. He leaped at the third one and sunk his claws and his fangs into his chest. For one horrible minute he was stuck inside the human's body and he forced himself out by ripping through all the flesh in his path. He ripped a hole the size of his body through the third human's chest.

By now, the fourth human had shot him repeatedly. Yukio didn't bother to count them. He knew he had been hit well over five times, but they were not vital, and he didn't feel them. Yukio rushed the fourth human, even as he ran screaming from the demonic looking wolf. Yukio did not realize that his whole body had been tainted by the third human's blood. If he thought Silverstar had looked scary when she had killed the humans in the clearing, he looked twenty times worse. His fur was no longer white, but pure crimson. His eyes were still red with rage, and his fangs, though they had sunk into flesh more then any other part of him, remained white. They alone could invoke fear into a warrior.

Yukio leapt at the human, and bit the back of his neck. Yukio twisted downward with such fury the human's head actually spun around in his mouth and screamed silently into the night sky, even though the rest of his body fell forward onto the earth. Yukio dropped the human's neck from his mouth. He had nearly bit through the human's neck, a tiny sliver of it was what kept his head connected to his body.

All of his energy left him in one fluid moment. He collasped on the ground, panting heavily, his sides heaving with pure exertion. He just wanted to turn to dust and drift away on the wind. As he tried to lick at one wound that landed on his front leg, close to his paw, he found himself tasting the blood of the humans he just killed. He shuddered with revulsion. He had taken a living creature's life. Though a carnivore by nature, Yukio had only remembered eating cooked meat, made by humans. He never had known the glory of the hunt, or the warmth of fresh blood on a cold winter's day. He only knew how to steal off the dinner table.

The thought of killing a living being had always disgusted him. Now, he realized with tears welling in his eyes, he had killed without feeling remorse, without showing a hint of mercy. The last human had fled from him in pure fear, but that did not stop Yukio from killing him. In fact, Yukio realized with growing horror, he had enjoyed running the man down and feeling the flesh tear from his body. He had enjoyed killing a fearful unarmed being.

Yukio began to cry. He whimpered pitifully, not for what he had done, but for the humans he killed. He felt horrible.

'Stand wolf,' a gruff growl called. Yukio looked up to see his pack leader, an old gray standing before him. There was no mistaking that arrogant smile, nor the cross scar on his chest. The scar on his chest was the symbol of his fallen moment, and every wolf knew that.

'Tsume…'

'I said stand!' Tsume roared at him. Yukio struggled to his feet, but could not bring himself to look at Tsume. He was a great wolfen warrior, one of the greatest in the world, how could a worthless cowering pup dare to look upon him?

'Do not forget who you are. You are the son of one of my greatest of warriors. I will not allow you to throw aside his name because you killed. You killed humans who tried to destroy everything you knew. They tried destroying you. Rip that vile thing out of your leg and bask in the moon light to heal your wounds. Then you will have your chance.'

Yukio looked at Tsume. 'My chance at what?'

'Showing me how much you have grown my dear nephew. You will have to fight me and win to leave this place. Show me the true powers that reside in you,' Tsume stated, sounding more wise then Yukio could ever remember. His leader had never really thought through his actions, but now he showed a wisdom beyond his years.

'If you ever wish to make it to paradise, you must understand something a white wolf once told me. "The road to paradise is paved in blood."'

Toboe ran blindly forward. There was Grandma, and Leara. Behind them were Hige, Blue, Tsume, Kiba, and Cheza. All exactly the way he remembered them. Was this paradise? Had he, the runt, finally reached the goal they had tried so hard to find, had sacraficed so much for?

He leapt up at them, his friends, his family, his loved ones.

They disappeared. Toboe paused, and found himself on an ice floe. The same one he had fought and killed that walrus on. The old monster suddenly reared out of the ice, twenty times bigger then Tobooe remembered. He looked down at himself and realized with ultimate fear, he was no more then a cub.

'Runtling of wolves. You have forgotten who you are.'

Toboe glared at him. 'I have forgotten nothing of myself or the journey my friends took. We failed.'

'You have forgotten yourself, for you, out of the whole pack, did not try to find the paradise the others did. You lost the true paradise, but you did not bother to try to find even a piece of it that resides here on this earth. The others did and lived out their lifes. You shame their memories. Come wolfling. Fight me like you did that day on the ice.'

Toboe growled vicisously. How dare this creature mock him? After everything they had been through… The death of Grandma, the hatred of Leara, the mocking of Tsume, the death of Cheza, the loss of Paradise, the dissolvement of their pack. He lived through all these things and more, so much more. What did this ancient monster of the ice know?

Toboe leapt at the walrus, aiming for his eye. The huge tusks came flying down at him, and missed him, barely. He felt the ivory tusk pass through his fur as he landed on its throat. Using his momentum, Toboe ran up its body and dug his fangs as deep into the walrus's flesh as possible. He felt his gums pushing against the walrus's blubber. The walrus squealed in horrid pain, Toboe had half of his muzzle buried in the liquids that formed the creature's eye.

The walrus plunged into the ice, through the ice, and into the frigid water. It was just like before, but something was wrong. Something was very wrong. It wasn't coming up for air! It dove further and further into the cold darkness, not once slowing. It was getting too dark. Toboe felt himself weakening. The cold, the lack of air, the darkness itself, seemed to be pulling him off the walrus. If he let go the walrus would kill him. He had to hang on.

Suddenly, the dark lessened. He felt a semblence of warmth. Air! Only two feet above him. If he let go… That was what it wanted. It would swing its head and skewer him before he could reach the surface. There was ice above him anyway. He would die even if the walrus didn't kill him. Toboe held on still. He was pretty sure he had used up all his air and he would die soon, but he wouldn't let go.

The walrus threw itself onto the surface. Ice flew everywhere, and threatened to plunge itself into the brown wolf. Toboe escaped harm, but the walrus didn't. It accidently impaled itself on a craggy piece of ice. Toboe jumped away from the creature and realized something horrifying. He had killed a creature for no reason. He found himself kneeling on the ice, not a wolf anymore, but a human. He was human! Toboe screamed into the dead air. He was human.

The moon's healing light wrapped Yukio gently in a warm blanket. Tsume watched over him, checking his wounds. When he was sure the pup had the strength, he nudged his shoulder.

'It's time.'

Yukio sat up and stared at his leg, where the humans had implanted the tracker. He ripped off his own flesh, and crushed it between his teeth. Even though his leg was freshly injured, Yukio got up to face his uncle.

'Shall we begin?' Tsume growled, launching himself at the pup. Yukio side-stepped him, and tried to clamp his fangs down on Tsume's exposed neck, but Tsume stumbled to the side, seemingly accidental. With a sinuous turn, Yukio found his leader below and to the side of his throat. His fangs gleamed in the moonlight as they snapped shut an inch away. Yukio had reared up, and smashed his front paws into Tsume's face as he tried to pull away. Yukio nearly got a hold on the back of Tsume's neck, but the older wolf knew what to do when in such a situation. Tsume flopped onto his back and used his back paws to smash Yukio's jaws away. Yukio's head whipped back, and he twisted in mid-air to land on his legs, but his back was now exposed to his enemy. In less then a second, Tsume had his legs under him and had leapt towards Yukio's back. Yukio rolled over, much like Tsume had just had, but tucked his legs in. As soon as Tsume landed, Yukio pushed up with all his might, first with his back and then his front, trying to flip the bigger wolf. Tsume's fangs dug through Yukio's fur and snapped out a piece of his skin. Yukio growled in pain as his leader flew above his head. Yukio immediately rolled over and charged at Tsume just as the gray wolf landed. Yukio clamped down hard on Tsume's throat, but Tsume, with a longer neck, also clamped down on Yukio's neck. They were at a stalemate.

'I yield,' Tsume growled, letting go of Yukio. Yukio let go in surprise. Tsume was not one to give up.

'I can't teach you anymore. I've taught you everything, even about paradise. Go find it Yukio. You will represent my part in our last journey.'

With that said, Tsume disappeared. Yukio looked around as the burning forest faded and was replaced with the cold gray of cave walls. Up ahead, he heard Silverstar.

'Silverstar! I'm here Silverstar!' Yukio shouted blindly. Silverstar ran into him and was relieved. She gave him a wolf hug, extending her muzzle over his shoulder and standing chest to chest. He returned the gesture, and the two young ones found themselves running in a full out gallop towards, what they did not know.

Toboe started to pound his fists against the ice. That was what they were, hands. Hands not paws. He was a disgusting human. The knuckles were raw, the skin ripped away from the force he put into the blows. His blood stained the ground, great crimson puddles, staining the knees of his pants.

He cried, scalding hot tears racing down his face, against the world. This cruel world that would allow all of this, the pain , anger and despair. Why was life so callous to its own charges?

He gritted his teeth, wishing he could howl. His damned human throat was not made for the howl he wished to emit. Why was this happening to him? What had he done to deserve this? Had he not suffered enough?

A sudden pain flared through his body. He fell to the cold icy ground, curling himself into a fetal position. A tiny ball of Toboe, standing out on the blank floe. He gritted his teeth, willing the pain to pass as images of his friends raced through his brain. Cheza dying, Hige laughing as he called him a runt, Tsume growling about eating each other, Quent holding a gun at him while Blue stayed quietly at his side, Kiba howling at the full moon. Each flash of memory brought with it an unbearable pain. Toboe found himself opening his mouth and screaming. A high pitched scream of pain and fear. And he just screamed, and screamed…

'I never heard of such a disease,' Yukio said as Silverstar finished explaining what was happening to Toboe.

'It's rare but highly contagious.'

'We can get it?' Yukio asked with a hint of fear.

'Only if we let ourselves. Even though it's highly contagious, we can only get it from certain activities. Don't let him lick you, it travels through saliva," Silverstar stated as they came upon strange moss. It glowed, heavily, even though the cave was well lit still. Yukio sniffed it, and turned his head in disgust. It smelled horrible and was not edible.

"This is it!" Silverstar cried, pulling at it. She tugged large pieces out.

Yukio stared at her as though she was crazy. It was obviously not edible, how was it suppose to help Toboe?

"Yukio help me! I'm not going to lose anyone else to this disease!" Silverstar cried as she ripped off more and more. She all ready had more then enough, or so Yukio thought, and he was afraid that she was getting hysterical. He bit her shoulder gently. She turned on him, ready to yell at him, when she read the worry on her face. She started to break down.

"I lost everyone to it! Everyone! My brothers, my sisters! Even my mother! The only family that survived was my grandfather! Even then I wonder if I, who survived this thing, was worth it!"

Yukio shed his fur and then held her close. He had always been a trouble maker, and acted cold, even callous, towards those that had taken care of him. He was a survivor, used to being alone. Yet, he knew how to comfort her.

_As he held me in his arms, I felt a sudden warmth in my spirit. Like the goddess showing her full face, I felt like dancing, no, like singing. Howling to the moon._

"Come on Silverstar. Get up. We need to get this to Toboe."

Silverstar held back the tears that never came and got up, holding the moss in her hands. She grimaced at Yukio. "Let's go."

Shuddering on the cold ground, no that wasn't right, ice, Toboe finally felt the pain subside. It was finally gone. Did that mean he was now human? Did that mean he could never be a wolf again?

He was a wolf, nothing more or less. What was the point of living if he could not be what he truly was. He did not belong to humanity. He was a wolf dammit. A wolf. A finely fanged fiend of the night. Terror to those idiotic humans, friend to god's innocents. What could he do now? Where could he go? No longer would he be accepted by his people, no longer could he hide away from his nightmare. He was a human now. Nothing more, nothing less.

Two distant figures appeared on the horizon. A mirage?

Toboe watched them come, and realized they were wolves. Normally, they would avoid humans, wolves did not like prey that fought back, but seeing a weak one, hurt and mewling like a new-born pup, he was sure that the last of his kin would surely end his pain. His life.

"Toboe!" the wind howled across his head. The voice was familiar, but it could not be them. No, they were nothing but a dream of something he had once wished for. A second chance for paradise.

"Toboe!"

The voices were closer now. Toboe lifted his head. It was them! He tried to get up, but it was so cold. So cold…

Silverstar reached him first. His lips were blue, his body cold, but he was not on an icce floe. He was sitting in the cursed field, basking in the sun, but not feeling it. Not knowing it was even there.

Silverstar glared at Yukio, "According to everyone I did not do this."

Yukio was taken back. What did she mean by that?

Silverstar licked her lips and kissed Toboe, bringing warmth and moisture to his cold dry lips. His mouth opened to hers, she wasn't sure what was meant by that, but she pulled away before she could find out. She stuffed the green nasty moss into his mouth.

"Eat Toboe. Eat."

It was being repeating in his head, like a nasty refrain that wouldn't die. **Eat Toboe, Eat**. He bit into the repolsive smelling food, but he did not have the strength to do it properly. He would choke on it.

Silverstar removed the moss from his mouth and chewed on it herself, then placed her mouth on his, pushing the mush into his mouth. He swallowed it down slowly. He swallowed everything she gave him to eat. She only fed to him half the moss she had. She was not sure whether or not to eat some herself. Then she did. Not much, only about one fourth of what was left over. Kiba had done that for her once as well.

"We need to drag him away from this place. Help me get away from this field, and get him into a clearing where he can catch the moonlight."

Yukio nodded, he knew of the moon's healing powers, even when it wasn't full. He picked up their charge gently and began the difficult task of dragging him away. They found the exit, not that far from the field. It was easy to accidently stumble into the field. It was made that way.

"We'll need to wait a full day for him to heal. Find a place to sleep. I'll stay up half the day, and then you can stay up the other half. Agreed?" Silverstar asked as Yukio nodded. After all they had just been through, he was more then willing to accept rest.

Yukio found a comfortable spot, next to Toboe. He moved against the old stiff form, letting the warmth invade his own body.

Silverstar stood guard away from the other two. As an outcast, she was not use to the warmth of other wolves. She had been an outcast her whole life. She was afraid that was going to change now.

_I feared the role I was stepping into. I was slowly becoming a leader. The leader to a small pack of lone wolves. It wasn't easy being an outcast, but I fit the role so readily. I was born for it, but a leader? I shudder to think I might actually be one. The rest of the day was spent watching the sun steadily move from east to west. I realized we were still far from where we were suppose to go, and farther still from reaching our goal. If this was what Kiba and his pack had to go through… It was understandable that they never reached paradise. I was determined to let this be our last distraction before we came into the city of the nobles. For that was where she was. _

A/N: I am not going to answer the question of whether or not they are the same nobles as the one in the anime/manga. I might answer that in the next chapter if enough people want it. I'm going to start writing it now! **walks off whistling Dixie**


	3. The Smoking Wolf

A/N: OMG! I'm so so so so so so so so so SORRY! I haven't updated in like... (- tries to think, hurts herself-) Sorry! GOMEN MINNA-SAN! Here's chapter three... Hopefully I can get chappie four up... Hopefully...

Disclaimer: Wolf's Rain does not belong to me... I own like two cents. Leave me alone.

_**Chapter 3: The Smoking Wolf**_

Silverstar woke Yukio mid-day and then went to sleep. Again, she stayed away from the warmth of Toboe's body, and instead slept on the cold ground. The sun was warm overhead, but the ground was still slick with dew.

Yukio's watch was uneventful; he spent most of his time watching two snakes mating. Normally, it would've been absolutely strange and completely disgusting, but because the boredom was so utterly complete, it was fascinating. He stayed there, the long hours stretching themselves out. He looked at Silverstar now and then, still concerned over the way she had reacted when she was tugging the cure from the rocks. She had been through a lot, they all had in their lifetimes, and yet it was Silverstar who seemed the strongest out of them all. Though he was still young, Yukio knew a strong spirit when he saw when and his Spiradar broke as soon as he met her. She was a born leader, even though she hadn't realized it yet.

When dusk had officially settled, but the moon had not yet risen, Yukio woke Silverstar up. She got up immediately and looked towards Yukio. He stared at her docilely (he had taken a nap during the day, a good two hours) and yawned lazily. Having done nothing all day, he was ready to go and fight an army rather then stay there any longer. Silverstar had felt that way earlier, except she had something the young pup still hadn't developed, an over abundance of patience.

'When are we leaving?' Yukio asked, his patience obviously strained to the limit.

Silverstar looked to the sky noted where each familiar constellation was and nodded solemnly to the Father. Being a patron to nature, she attributed everything to four "gods". One was Mother Nature herself; another was, of course, the Sister Moon. There was also the Father Sky, and then the Brother Sun. She did not worship them, as many people have done with gods in the past, but respected them and held in her heart a place for each.

'When the Sister shows her face,' was Silverstar's reply to the question. Yukio accepted the answer, to him it was cryptic, but it was what he expected from her. It seemed like she was a part of the moon.

Another hour or two, they weren't really counting, passed before the moon, blesséd mother of wolves, showed her face. Toboe began to stir. Red hot flashes of pain seared his body, every limb, but mostly his head. A headache raged behind his eyes, and if he had been human, he would've sworn he had a hangover. He got up slowly and noticed two familiar wolves staring at him.

'Yukio! Silverstar,' Toboe said, wagging his tail like a dog. He was glad to see them.

'Toboe!' Yukio bounded up and then plowed into the older brown wolf. They rolled around on the ground like pups at play. Silverstar smiled at them as she watched them tussle on the ground. It was pretty much the same reaction any wolf had when a comrade neared and braved death.

Toboe threw Yukio away from him, and playfully growled a warning. Yukio took the hint and sprawled out on the ground, panting from wasting so much energy. Toboe walked up to Silverstar.

'Silverstar, thank you. I don't remember exactly what has happened, but I know this. You saved my life. I'll try to repay you.'

Silverstar bowed to him, as tradition, 'No need to thank me. I would do the same for any pack member.'

Toboe smiled warmly at her. He shook his head slowly, 'You don't understand Silverstar. You are our leader. You are the alpha.'

_Even though I had been expecting something along those lines, the words themselves still came as a shock to me. I was an alpha? Me? Before I wasn't even considered part of the pack, but now I was the leader of one? Then I felt it in my bones. The moon, the flower, they called out to me in my blood._

'I understand Toboe. I will get you to paradise if it's the last thing I do.'

Yukio took that moment to walk up to the two older wolves. He whimpered gently, asking if they were ready to go.

Toboe smiled recklessly at Silverstar. She smiled back and nodded. Without another word, or piece of body language, they began to run towards the city of nobles.

Silverstar ran ahead, in the lead with her tail held high. Toboe followed after her, keeping close, but always behind. Yukio was last in line. Every once in a while he pulled neck to neck with Toboe, but he went no further. A blue-gray streak, faster then any normal four legged beast of the northern forests, was their beacon, their guiding light.

It wasn't long after that, that she began to feel the eyes. A pair staring at her steadily, waiting, watching, her. Silverstar did not mention this to Yukio or Toboe. She did not want them to worry.

They ran for the night, through the meadows that surrounded the cursed forest. Eventually they came to tiny foothills and then large hills about twice as tall as a full-grown male human. When Silverstar reached the top of one of these hills she stood still and gaped.

_I have seen many things in my lifetime. I have felt pain, and joy, but nothing had struck me as completely awe inspiring, not until I saw the city. Large, expansive, it was utterly impossible. No normal creature of nature could've have created something so... so... Impossible. It was like a sea of unnaturalness. If that is so, then are humans natural? Are they really the rightful "heirs" to this planet?_

Yukio gaped with her, utterly confused and at a loss for words. Toboe stood tall thoroughly unimpressed. After the things he had been through with Darcia and Jagara, this petty city seemed like nothing.

'She's in there,' Silverstar said slowly. She shed her fur, and the other two followed suit. She stood before the city, smelling plainly the scent of lunar flower. She meant to find it.

"Come on. Let's go," she said, running down the hill. Again, the other two followed without a second thought.

Silverstar lead them to the main gate. It was guarded by thirty soldiers, who looked as though they swallowed tar for dinner. Silverstar curled her muzzle in disgust, which came off as a sneer in human form. She wanted to avoid contact with humans.

"Toboe, Yukio. Can you both do me a favor?" Silverstar asked, never taking her eyes off the front gate. She was not use to her role as a leader and did not feel right bossing them around. She felt more comfortable asking them as a favor.

"Name it," Yukio said excitedly.

Toboe stayed silent, all ready guessing the unsaid question, but nodded.

"Try to see if there is another entrance somewhere. I want to avoid the main gate."

"All right!" Yukio said excitedly as he ran to her right.

Toboe shook his head in annoyance, "Young pup, over excited bugger. I'll be back soon. I trust you'll stay by the gate, waiting to see if there is a chance to sneak in."

Silverstar nearly smiled. Toboe had understood perfectly that she had rather not have taken leadership role, but he still obeyed her willingly. Kiba had not been ready for his role either, but he took and used it. Just like she was going to.

Silverstar sat back on her haunches, indian style in her human form, and watched Toboe run to her left. She was going to give them an hour, before she tried to find them. Then, she was going to make her decision.

_We were so close to Kinpa, I could smell her for gods' sakes. I could almost see her. We needed to find a way into the city. I watched the guards intently, waiting and watching for one of them to make a mistake. They were frighteningly efficient. Each guard was moved his position every five minutes, walking and pacing back and forth. That's when I realized my mistake. There weren't thirty guards, but fifteen. They walked about so constantly it was easy to miscount them. Then, after thirty-five minute shifts, the guards were replaced by new ones. Most likely off to take an hour's break and then come back. If that was truly the case, then how many guards were there actually? I fought with this concern for a while and then realized I had waited for over an hour. Where were Yukio and Toboe?_

Yukio stared at the high city walls. Thirty feet high. He thought about whether or not he should jump them. They weren't that high, and he might be able to do a little recon while there. He was still contemplating this when a couple of other kids, punks really, skated pass him hurriedly. Thinking his human guise too obvious, he followed the two punks, one a girl, the other a boy, in his wolf form. They lead him half way around he circle of the city and there was where he found the back entrance.

There were only five guards, and three of them were sleeping in the gatehouse. The other two were wide awake, and walked with an MP5 slung on their arms. They also had 9mm Glocks resting snugly on their waists. Yukio thought very quickly. As a stray "dog" he would be able to get into the city, but how was he to sneak Silverstar and Toboe in. It was while he was seriously going over a ridiculous plan, that he noticed Toboe. The old wolf walked straight up to one of the guards and asked if he could bring his daughter and dog into the city this way. He said they wouldn't allow animals through the main gate.

The two guards laughed.

"They always say that, but they're suppose to let you through. If you want we'll let you through, so you can avoid traffic. Go get your kid and dog."

Yukio just stared. Toboe had seen the situation and acted on instinct. It seemed like a great idea, because they would get into the city within the hour. Yukio smiled and turned around. Golden-brown eyes glared into his own. Yukio took a step back in surprise. He could only see the eyes, cold glaring eyes. They seemed disembodied, and that scared Yukio even more.

'Yukio,' a sly feminine voice cooed, 'Sleep.'

With that Yukio promptly went unconscious.

Toboe walked away from the guards feeling a little light headed. They could gain entrance and they could go in unmolested. Toboe smiled and sang a little to himself. He was feeling giddy, back to their old tricks.

He was about to run away and turn back to his wolfish self, when he noticed Yukio's prone form not that far away. The humans at the gate couldn't see him, but to any animals' eyes, he was a beacon. White fur against the dark ground. He was lying down on the ground with his eyes closed. Was the young pup sleeping? Toboe lost sight of the guards as he doubled around, trying to make his way to Yukio without being seen. As he snuck towards the white wolf, a blackness, something dark as a shadow, moved. Flashing golden-brown eyes, the apparition of the night suddenly disappeared. Toboe paused, and then looked closely at Yukio. Was he seeing things or was that a wolf?

Before his question could be answered, Toboe heard an arrow softly thud into the ground in-between his front legs. He stared down confused, and realized his mistake. It wasn't an arrow. It was, in fact, a short and narrow crossbow bolt.

A sudden fear gripped Toboe. Even though crossbow bolts weren't effective against the guard's armor, an unprotected being, such as himself, could be killed by just one bolt. Even if the bolt missed any vital organs, he would most likely die of blood loss.

Using his jaws in a gentle fashion, Toboe picked up Yukio. He ran away from the spot where he had found the pup and was about to speed up when a quarrel sunk through his back left leg. Toboe realized the shooter was behind him now and then did everything in his power to keep moving. He slunk close to the ground, becoming almost invisible. A human, a small female with brown hair, popped out of the grass. A camo-colored crossbow was in her hands. She surveyed the area, obviously searching for the wolves she shot at. Standing next to her was the shadowy apparition. The disembodied golden-brown eyes stared at Toboe, shining with an inner flame. Toboe got away slowly, crawling almost on his belly, to hide his tan fur from the searching gaze of the little girl. She had looked oddly familiar like he had seen her somewhere before...

Silverstar paced back and forth. Their scents were still fresh, but she had to trust them to come back to her. She had an odd feeling in her stomach that they were going to abandon her and this quest. She knew that she was worried just because she had been thrust into the new position. Leadership was never an easy role to take.

Silverstar looked to the city once again. Her eyes scanned the walls, determining how high they were. They were easily a hundred feet in the front, but the sides tapered down to only about thirty feet high. The back walls were easily accessible and would be the perfect place to gain entry, if it wasn't for the fact that she had split up the pack before fully assessing the situation. They could've been in the city all ready.

Silverstar was just about to go and find them, when the scent of fresh blood filled her nostrils. She could tell from the sweetness that hung in the air, that it was from a wolf. She looked around and saw Toboe limping along with Yukio. The old tan wolf had the young wolf pup in his mouth and was dragging him towards her. Silverstar got up and met him.

'What happened?' she asked softly, letting Toboe know that she was worried and not angry.

Toboe shook his head, 'I don't know what's wrong with Yukio. He's just stunned but he won't wake up. I'm all right, I just got a hole through my leg. It didn't snap any tendons, and it went clean through. It'll heal just fine on its own.'

Silverstar nodded gravely. She trusted Toboe's judgment on his wound, but she checked it anyway. He was right, the wound would close on it's own and he would be fine as long as he kept it clean.

She turned her attentions to the youngest of the group. He looked peaceful enough, but she could tell something was wrong. She nudged him gently, his body felt warm. Too warm. She sniffed him over, and then looked at the city. 'Did you find a way in?'

'The back gate has only five guards, two on alert, two as replacements, and one as a runner. I'm not sure if that's exactly their jobs, but it would stand to sense.'

Again Silverstar nodded. Her cold amber eyes looked up at the moon and looked questionably into her face. As though all the world's answers rested there.

'Let him stay in the moonlight for a little. Make sure your leg is in the moonlight as well, then we'll go see this back gate. We'll come up with a plan as soon as we get inside.'

Toboe smiled at her. Even though she was young, and seemed unfit for the role, Silverstar was truly a born leader. She was holding herself back with her doubts.

Toboe laid down and basked in the moonlight. Yukio started to stir slightly but then went quiet again. Silverstar tended to him, making a mental note of his condition. Normal heartbeat, warm body. It looked like he was just stunned.

"Close but no cigar, Aiko," a young female human said as they walked into the city. Aiko, the young female Toboe had seen with the crossbow laughed harshly.

"You did no better. We were close to killing that white pup. You should have done him in when you had the chance."

The other female wrinkled her nose, "Not my fault either. You had the chance to kill that old wolf. You messed up as much as I did."

"But we could've followed his blood trail with your nose. We could've gotten all three of them if you hadn't decided to go into the city. Why did you make that decision anyway?" Aiko asked as she pushed her chin length brown hair out of her eyes.

"I don't know. I felt something in this city pulling me. Like I needed to be here. I don't trust those damn nobles anyway. How did they find out about us, and how did they know about those three wolves searching for paradise?" her mysterious friend asked. Aiko turned to her and looked at her fully. The young female looked to be about seventeen years old. Short black hair, no longer then a couple of millimeters, spiked up around her head. Beautiful green eyes shone with an ethereal inner fire. A loose black open shirt hung over her proud shoulders as a tight white shirt hugged her torso, revealing a breath-defying physique. Long baggy black pants hung from her waist, and black boots, combat boots, poked their way through the pants. A cigarette hung loosely in her well-formed mouth.

"Paradise? Don't tell me you believe in that fairy tale."

Smoke bellowed out of the mouth of the seventeen-year-old as she faced her friend. Aiko was shorter and was only twelve. She was orphaned and had no one. Her brown hair framed her elegant face and her gray eyes showed wisdom beyond her years. She had a black and white striped cotton trench coat that bellowed out from behind her. A plain brown shirt, too large for her petite frame, hung almost to her knees. Her crossbow laid hidden by the shirt, strapped firmly to her waist. Blue baggy pants hung off her legs while engulfing her bare feet. A defiant look formed in her graceful features.

"Paradise? It doesn't exist. Not for you humans, and neither for us wolves."

Yukio woke up suddenly. He bolted upright and stared about, first glaring at the shadowy figures of Toboe and Silverstar, and then softening as he realized he was, in fact, safe.

'You okay Yukio?' Silverstar asked, still looking at the city.

'Yeah. I'm fine. What happened?'

'I was hoping to ask you," Silverstar replied, standing as a human. Toboe was human as well and looked ready to do anything.

'What-?'

"Stay a wolf young un. We'll get you into the city. Stay close. And let me do the talking," Toboe replied. Silverstar smiled. She didn't feel up to talking with humans right now, they annoyed her.

Yukio nodded silently and then followed behind Toboe and Silverstar as though he was a good, obedient dog. The very thought disgusted him, but he wasn't about to complain. Easier to be allowed in and thought of as new people, then as wandering stray dogs. They might get information easier that way.

"Try not to limp so much," Silverstar whispered as they took their time walking. The wound had not healed quite yet, but Toboe insisted on going now. Better to get into the city sooner, so that they found a way out sooner.

Yukio followed them docilely. He yawned in boredom. They were taking their time because of Toboe's injury, but he still wished to hurry up. He liked being in the same form as them. It made it easier to talk.

They finally reached the back gate. One of the guards waved them in. Toboe nodded in acceptance and ushered Silverstar and Yukio in without a word. Once they got through the gate, Silverstar and Yukio went into an alley and switched guises. Silverstar hated being human, and Yukio wanted to be human. Toboe stayed human, a form he was used to keeping. He led Yukio and Silverstar down a main street, looking for a place they may stay. They had no money, the thing humans thrived off of, but they had two hard working "men". Most innkeepers needed voluntary help.

A young female human, who looked much like the girl Toboe saw but older, walked up to them.

"You're new here aren't ya?" she asked with a lazy smile.

Yukio, Toboe, and Silverstar immediately distrusted her. She smelled of blood and death.

"Yeah, we're new here. My son and..." Toboe paused before motioning to Silverstar, "our dog are traveling. We just need a place to stay for the night, because tomorrow we plan on leaving."

Silverstar visibly stiffened when he called her a dog. She glared at the human female, but besides her scent, nothing seemed wrong with her.

"You'll be needing a place to stay tonight. I'm sure my papa would allow you to stay with us. We need some residents. We have too many vacancies."

Toboe nodded even as Silverstar sent him a growl of warning. The young she-wolf didn't realize it, but the girl understood. She stared at the wolf.

"Your dog is unusual. It looks like one of General Miran's mixed breeds."

"General Miran? Who's he?" Yukio asked, stepping up from behind Toboe. The girl was skilled at keeping her reactions minimal, but Silverstar noticed her eyes widened a bit. As though she recognized him.

"He's the general under Noble Percival's orders. Where are you from that you do not know this?" the girl asked suspiciously.

"We come far from the south," was Toboe's reply. She waited for more, but then realized Toboe wasn't going to say more.

"Well, like I said, if you need a place to stay, my father's inn isn't that far away..." the girl trailed off. Toboe looked down at Yukio, or so it seemed. He was actually waiting to see Silverstar's reply. The wolf growled an agreement. Yukio nodded at the same moment, so that it looked like he was waiting on his "son's" word.

"What's your name?" Toboe asked as they followed her. The girl was short, with long black hair that almost reached her waist. Her eyes were gray, that was why she looked familiar, and her body was covered in brown garments of cotton. Her stride was wide, her legs were long, and it made her fast. Only Silverstar didn't have a problem following her through the busy streets.

"Aibiki."

'Tryst?' Silverstar snorted back to Toboe. Toboe said nothing to Silverstar, he couldn't. Instead he asked Aibiki, "We don't have much money, are you sure we can stay?"

'Money? What's that?' Silverstar asked, completely confused.

Money was a concept completely foreign to me. Wolves do not have a use for "currency", everything we have we either have been given by nature, or we procured it ourselves. I will never understand man, but I think it is the lust for this strange materialistic item that has created greed. But that is just my theory.

"I'm pretty sure we can find a way to use your services."

Toboe glared at the back of her head, as only a wolf can. Silverstar glared as well. This human girl was going to be more trouble then she was worth.

"Toboe!" Yukio wailed quietly. Toboe looked back to see the younger pup was looking far to his right, through the crowd at someone. Toboe turned to look, following Yukio's gaze, and found those eyes. The disembodied eyes, were actually not disembodied, but belonged to a black wolf. Pure black, as though she was made of the darkness itself. She glared at them, the three wolves. She paid no attention to the human girl.

"Who is that?" Toboe muttered.

'Obviously someone very strong and clever,' Silverstar replied. She caught a whiff of the stranger. A scent of decay and death, the pure strong wolf smell was drowned out by the human blood and fear that clung to her fur and body. Yet, it was not that scent that threw Silverstar for a loop. It was, in fact, the smell of depression that overrode every other smell, that struck Silverstar as odd. As though nothing in this world had ever struck the black wolf as joyful.

Silverstar paused in her walking, long enough to get a good look at the other she-wolf. The black wolf looked her in the eyes and then turned, vanishing into the shadows from where she came. Those cold eyes flashed once, and then disappeared. Silverstar knew then, that she was being hunted by this strange black wolf.

"Here we are," Aibiki said, pointing at a three-story building. Most buildings just stood, even a fewer amount stood tall, but only a handful had ever actually lurked. This was actually one of the few that did. Dark shadows played across the front, giving it a gothic appeal, but the fact that drunken lewd songs could be heard even from outside canceled out its darkness. The door opened, and revealed there where actually only five people in the inn, not including the two that stepped out to puke in the alley. Silverstar wrinkled her nose in disgust. This place was weird.

"Um... Which one of those gentlemen was your father?" Toboe asked, trying to hide his obvious disgust.

Aibiki sighed heavily, "He's the gentlemen in the red shirt puking in the alley."

Toboe politely sweat-dropped and said nothing, Yukio had a looked of pure confusion, and Silverstar used every ounce of self-control not to die laughing.

"Do you think it would be too much to ask him to stay while he's so deeply intoxicated?" Toboe asked as the two men stumbled back into inn.

Aibiki stared at him and smiled, "It'll be fine."

Aiko stared at her companion.

"They're staying at Hiroku's Place? Are you sure Shisou?"

Shisou, the black wolf and Aiko's smoking companion, was tapping a cigarette by the butt on the back of her palm. It was called packing. Once the cigarette was packed enough, she was going to smoke it.

Aiko wrinkled her nose. She hated when Shisou smoked, but they had been together for a long time. She could suck it up.

Shisou showed her teeth in something of a grin, but it was actually more terrifying then anything that Aiko had witnessed before. Shisou didn't smile. To see something of a grin on her face meant something big was going to happen.

"They're there. Aibiki is smart. She convinced those morons that it would be a good idea to stay at that crappy old inn. If you can even call it an inn. It's more like a tavern."

Aiko laughed. "Yeah, I know. It didn't take much to convince Aibiki to join us. I wonder why?"

"Why try to convince a sister of your trade to do what she likes? After all, we're not the only assassins in this part of the forest."

"We're not in the forest anymore, Shisou. No matter how much we both wish we were. How long do you think this hunt will take?"

Shisou sighed heavily as she lit her cigarette. "Why must artists always have deadlines?"

Toboe did a great job drying out the innkeeper long enough to get them a room. It ends up this would be his last night of business. They had to be gone tomorrow night. For now though, they were welcomed guests. Jugs of wine and other such intoxicants were passed around joyously. They had to be rid of them, and why not drink? His friends the innkeeper's were only too glad to help. Silverstar, Yukio and Toboe didn't join the festivities. They didn't have to. Five other people, for this time there were some women, not overly gorgeous women, but women nonetheless, that joined after the three wolves settled in.

'Do we have to listen to them all night?' Yukio whimpered, trying to use his paws drown out the very off-key songs and openly lewd suggestions. Not to mention the noises from the room next to their's. Very loud high-pitched moaning came from within.

'No, thank the goddess moon herself. We'll be leaving shortly,' Silverstar said, as she ignored the humans and paced nervously across the room.

'All of us?' Toboe asked, looking up from a whole chicken he stole from the kitchen. Silverstar had lost her appetite when she realized it was cooked, and Yukio refused on grounds that if he had to remove his paws he would puke whatever little was in his stomach. Toboe decided to eat his fill and leave it at that. After all, he had been dealing with humans for years. He had seen worse.

'I'm thinking just me and Yukio,' Silverstar admitted. She smiled wryly at Toboe, hoping he understood.

'Because I'm old huh?' Toboe said with a laugh. Yukio was doing such a good job of drowning everything out, so he didn't share their laughter, but Silverstar and Toboe laughed. They both knew that wasn't the reason and Silverstar was glad he realized it. The younger two were smaller, barely noticeable. They were at their prime, and what they were attempting to do took plenty of patience which Silverstar had and clever wit. which surprisingly enough, Yukio had Toboe would stay behind, act as a sentry, hold the fort, and give them an alibi. Plus, even though he wished to see the flower maiden, he rather stay out of danger for a while. His leg still hadn't healed all the way, and his mind was still reeling from the malady that almost over took him. He could endanger their lives.

'When are you leaving?' Toboe asked, through his teeth as he cracked through several ribs. Silverstar shivered at the sound. She was hungry, but cracking bones with no marrow was disgusting.

If the truth be told, I'm a hunter. I have never understood the allure of human food. I don't care how good it's suppose to taste. If I can't feel the excitement from stalking and over running my prey, then what's the point? Humans ruin food. They defile hunts like they defile the earth.

'Now,' Silverstar replied, looking as though she was trying hard not to gag. She walked up to Yukio and nipped his hindquarters. He yelped, very loudly, and finally removed his paws from his ears. He looked ready to bolt out the door, but that wasn't the exit they were using. Silverstar lead him to the two-story window and then nimbly jumped out in the alley where Aibiki's father had puked earlier in the evening. Silverstar made one mistake though. She believed that he had been the only one to puke in the alley.

She nearly swooned over the smell, but Yukio landed on her, so she had a distraction at least.

'Get off of me mutt!' she growled, referring to half dogs. Yukio, thoroughly disgusted with humanity in every aspect, gladly obliged and lead the way out. Silverstar followed slowly, only because she saw it as a tremendous waste of energy to run. She'll be needing it later.

'So, where is she?' Yukio asked as Silverstar caught up and took the lead. Two "stray dogs" were not suspicious, especially since they were male and female. She still kept to the shadows though, not wishing to be seen. Yukio followed diligently.

'Don't you smell her? The scent is as clear as a cloudless night. She is in the citadel.'

Yukio balked immediately at that. 'She's where!'

Silverstar looked back at him, 'It's time we visited the nobles.'

In the middle, and deep underground of the citadel of the noble Mito, there was a laboratory. In a globe of pale green water, there was a woman. Her red blind eyes stared at nothing, and her light brown hair fell flat out to the side. If she had been outside the vital fluids, her hair would have landed about her eyes. A strange garment, of flowing white platinum, hugged her shapely body. A small diamond, revealing the pale flesh below her chest, started between her firm breasts and ending just below her ribs. Another diamond, which began in the middle of her abdomen ended at the bottom of her navel. Two other such diamond shapes revealed her smooth thighs, both located at the front epicenter. Chains ran from her wrists and neck, holding her firmly in place.

General Miran smiled up at her cruelly. He was a short fat bald man, but he was not a general for anything. He was fast and strong, he could take down men, kill them, in one hit. Gray eyes scrutinized the mechanics of the machinery keeping Kinpa, the flower maiden, alive. His face was turned down in a grimace. He was not a handsome man, and his paunch did nothing to help even after being tucked into his dull green uniform. He also despised women, making him a bachelor with little or no feminine contact. He had no wife, no children, which is what made him perfect for his job. His only love was his work.

"General Miran!" a captain saluted behind him. Miran could tell it was a captain, after slightly turning his head, by the number of decorations. Miran's whole left breast was covered with medals and ornaments.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice on the edge of annoyance. His voice was dull, as though emotion was impossible for him.

"There is a wolf in the city!"

"Shisou making trouble?" he asked. Shisou honestly believed she had fooled him into thinking she was a human, but he knew.

"No sir. I mean there are three other wolves in the city. We know that there are two roaming the streets right now, and it looks as though they are headed here."

Miran nodded slowly. "Prepare for them. Kinpa can not be taken away!"

The captain shuffled out as Miran looked back at Kinpa. "You will lead us to paradise."

Aibiki fidgeted. Of course she had heard of Saigo no akahaji. (A/N: I'm not sure if I put that right. It's suppose to translate to Ultimate Shame, but I could be wrong. Can someone please let me know?) They were the greatest assassins of the time. She just never expected to work with such professionals of the trade.

"What do you mean they left?" Aiko demanded. They had planned on getting this job done this night, but it would be harder if the group was seperated.

"It is as I said," Aibiki replied with her head down. She did not need rival killers angry with her. After all, they were after the same things.

"They're heading to the citadel now?" Shisou asked, yet again smoking a cigarette. With each syllable a small puff of white escaped her.

"Yes, Shadow of death, (A/N: this is the translation of Shisou's name) the smoking wolf," Aibiki replied using her full title. Shisou smiled cruelly and then looked at Aiko.

"The hunt begins."

TBC

A/N: Yup... Will Shisou join the others? Hmm... I don't know... Review and you'll find out... (- sigh-) My friend Rubi loves all you readers... She also happens to be crazy and has a crutch. Please review!


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